This invention relates to apparatus for transferring a support member for material, such as a spindle on which a bolt of fabric is wound, between a storage station and a processing station.
Apparatus for this purpose is known from German Gebrauchsmuster No. 78 17 607. A circulating chain, which runs over guide sprocket wheels, can be directed along guide struts. At least one holding portion, which has a hook-shaped receiving opening, is secured on the circulating chain. A locking member on the holding portion can close or leave open the receiving opening. The locking member is retracted when there is a generally vertical movement of the rotating chain and is subsequently brought back into the closed position. When there is such vertical movement in which the locking member is retracted and the receiving opening of the holding portion is left open, an end of the supporting spindle of a bolt of material or the like can be grasped from below and lifted upwards out of its bearing. The receiving opening is subsequently closed again by means of the locking member. A bolt of material or the like can be lifted out in this manner from, for example, a laying carriage of a fabric laying-out machine and also out of a bolt magazine. Lifting in follows through a reverse movement of the circulating chain. In practice, however, the apparatus is coordinated to the laying out machine and a fresh bolt of material which is to be inserted is inserted into the apparatus by hand, or a bolt of material which is to be removed from the laying-out machine, is taken out of the apparatus by hand and is inserted into the magazine.
Furthermore, apparatus is also known which operates like a crane but in an essentially similar manner to that discussed above.
Operation of the known apparatus can cause accidents and is very time-consuming. This, particularly when bolts of material are to be exchanged frequently, is a great disadvantage and gives rise to high costs as further processing is interrupted.